walnut top

This was a project to test a technique I wanted to use for a project I am working on now. It worked out so well that I decided to finish it out.

I have been making boxes using Martyn’s EZ Mitre technique and really like that technique. The only down side is the amount of wood wasted for some projects. I decided to just go with straight-up miter cuts to achieve the same results.

In order to improve my miter cuts and get them closer to dead-on, I made a new crosscut sled specifically for when my tablesaw blade is set to 45 degrees. I spent a good amount of time getting this sled square to the blade and it worked out pretty well.

I pick up these walnut burl blocks from my lumber supplier. They are about 12” x 4” x 4” and they produce some of the greatest looking boards for small projects. I featured one of these for the top of this box. I wanted it to be mitered flush to the top. The overall dimensions were dictated by the walnut top dimensions, so it is a bit of an odd size.

The sides are made with a type of pink heart / white wood that looks similar to a pine, but is not pine. The last picture shows the unfinished wood, so please help with the identification if you can. I used more of the walnut for the inlay.

After glue-up I cut the lid off and used more walnut for the inside lip.

I finished it with tung oil and wax. Turned out pretty nice.

-- Chris, “as soon as you come up with something foolproof, they come up with a better fool""

Thanks much. It’s funny how things work out. I do a lot of ‘test’ projects to see if a technique is going to work. Since there is usually no pressure for perfection in the test project, they turn out darn good!! Well, many times any way.

To answer your question about the medallion Andy: I am fortunate enough to work with some cool equipment and one such device is a wire EDM. We are always doing small scrap test cuts before doing actual cuts so occasionally I cut one of these for the test. Use them as markers on my projects.

-- Chris, “as soon as you come up with something foolproof, they come up with a better fool""